Alexis Bennett left the University of South Carolina Beaufort with a good feeling Tuesday.

Bennett had just completed a two-day interview for USCB’s vacant women’s head golf coach position and knew she was scheduled to leave her home in Dallas on Aug. 22 to play in the LPGA Tour’s 2013 Qualifying Tournament — the same day the university’s fall classes begin.

The interview went so well, Bennett said, she decided to email the LPGA and cancel her plans to play in the event. Thursday morning, she received a job offer from athletics director Quin Monahan. USCB announced Bennett’s hiring Friday.

“The fit is absolutely perfect,” said Bennett, a 2011 Southern Methodist University graduate. “Not many people get to be head coaches right out of the gate, especially at my age. But the more we talked, the more it seemed like the personalities fit.”

Lindy LaBauve left USCB in May after two seasons as head coach to become a teaching apprentice in St. Simons, Ga.

Since the end of her SMU career, Bennett has played two years on the LPGA Symetra Tour and the Canadian Women’s Tour.

When her season ended this summer, Bennett decided to explore coaching and applied for the USCB job in late June. She worked as an assistant coach in 2011 at Rockford (Ill.) Lutheran Academy, her alma mater.

“She’ll be able to connect really well with the students,” Monahan said. “She’s going to be well-respected because of her successful playing career.”

Bennett said making a living in women’s professional golf proved difficult the last two years, as sponsors are hard to come by for players on developmental tours, and she is happy to find some stability at USCB.

But Bennett is not totally giving up on her pro dreams, as she plans to continue playing in tournaments during the summers. Monahan said the university will support the endeavor and he is confident it will not interfere with her coaching duties.

“There’s a tangible benefit to her going out and playing in tour events and being recognized,” Monahan said. “She’ll be going out there as the head coach at USCB.”

Bennett, who majored in marketing and minored in advertising at SMU, will also work as an assistant director of athletic marketing. Laura Heberling filled that role for two years when she was an assistant softball coach, but the school promoted her to head coach Tuesday.

USCB will return five players this year from a team that finished 15th in the NAIA National Championships last season. The Sand Sharks have qualified for the NAIA tournament the last four years.

Bennett said she plans to move on Thursday, making a drive of about 14 hours to her new home in the Lowcountry.

“The school itself is full of potential,” Bennett said. “The location is ideal for a golf program, so it’s not going to be hard to recruit to the area. It doesn’t get much better.”